How to Introduce Bananas to Babies

When I teach Baby Led Weaning (BLW) classes, I always
suggest trying banana as one of the first foods for baby. But I didn’t realize
how confusing this fruit is for parents until I was inundated with questions
about it. Let’s tackle some of the most common feeding questions I receive when
it comes to bananas.

Consistency: In
my courses, I get questioned a lot about which consistencies to try first and how
to advance in texture from there. I teach parents to start their babies with
basic single ingredients, and banana is
obviously a great choice! Once baby has mastered a few tastes, I change
up the texture by either adding another food (that they have already had success
with) or introducing a new consistency. Here are a few of my easy recipe combinations
to try:

Familiar
Tastes: Banana + Avocado. Mash
them both together in the Tiny
Bowl and add a little breast milk or formula. Give your little one a head
start on their self-feeding skills by using the Tiny Spoon for dipping
and scooping!

Grab and
Eat: Cut the banana in half and peel back a portion of the top so baby
can easily hold onto the skin section and gum the soft flesh. This recipe is
very popular with BLWand I love to use it with babies who are progressing well
with their fine motor feeding skills.

Crunchy
Combo: I cut a banana into long banana slices (like French fries). Then I roll the slices into crushed iron-fortified
cereal or another safe crumble texture to make it easier for baby to pick up
and eat. This mixture of crunchy (cereal) and soft (banana) textures is a
combination that will continue throughout adulthood.

Fried
Bananas: Fried banana is very common in my Hispanic culture, and it’s
something we traditionally give to babies between 8-12 months. Here is my
family recipe:

Ingredients

2 Bananas

Butter

Cinnamon

Instructions

Step 1: Melt 1-2 Tbs of butter in a small frying pan

Step 2: Cut the bananas into thin (French fry) slices

Step 3: Gently place the bananas in the pan and sauté
for 1-2 minutes on each side

Step 4: Once the banana is coated with butter on each
side, sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and serve!

Constipation: I
get asked a lot of questions about constipation in regards to bananas. Yes, bananas
are known to have constipation tendencies, especially if parents are serving
them to baby daily. But I’ve learned from the pediatric gastrointestinal (GI)
doctors I work with that banans also have GI benefits. If you have have a baby with reflux, consider the fact that bananas have a mucosal property that helps with digestion
and may encourage a baby with reflux to continue eating orally (when they may
normally refuse).

Colors: A
common question I receive about bananas is what color the
banana should be when they first introduce it to baby. Depending on the color,
the taste and texture can vary widely and the nutritional benefits change too! I’ve
outlined a few ideas to help you choose the right color stage for your baby:

Green: Parents who choose to serve bananas that
are green
in color are giving baby a texture that is firm with a tart taste.

Yellow: Others parents may give baby a
banana that is yellow in color, which means the texture is soft and the taste
is sweet.

Brown: Some families prefer to introduce bananas
past their ripening stage. Brown bananas have a mushy texture and the flavor is
very sweet (which is why it’s usually used in baking desserts!).

What texture and taste does your baby prefer? How did you introduce banana to your baby? Try some of my
banana recipes and let us know what you think! #ezpzfun #blw

To find out more about ezpz's latest items designed
specifically for feeding first foods - the Tiny Bowl, Tiny Spoon and Tiny Cup -
head here.

Photo Credit: Paul Joyner Photo

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Dawn Winkelmann, M.S, CCC-SLP

Speech Language Pathologist & Feeding Specialist for ezpz

Dawn Winkelmann, a.k.a “Ms. Dawn”, has treated thousands of kids across the globe by helping families overcome picky eating stages and food refusals, while adding new foods into their diet. Her high success rate is attributed to Ms. Dawn bringing her education, experience, sense of humor and her favorite feeding products to the family dinner table.

You will find Ms. Dawn’s expert feeding advice to be positive and fun for the entire family! She adapts complicated feeding/swallowing research and makes it practical and easy for parents! Get ready to learn the science behind your favorite feeding products and ways to bring happy family mealtimes back!